Wildcat Buzz

1. Walk or Roll to School on Tuesday, October 14th (more details below)

2. Volunteer Opportunity - Helpers needed for the Craft Show, Saturday 11/1

3. Important information from our school nurses in this issue of the Buzz!

10/13 - DAML Closed*

10/14 - Walk or Roll to School Day

10/18 - CVU Craft Fair, 9am-4pm

10/23 - Diwali, NO SCHOOL

10/24 - Student Conferences, NO SCHOOL

10/28 - Community Budget Forum, 6pm @ CVU Library

10/29 - Picture Retakes @WCS

10/30 - Picture Retakes @ABS

11/01 - Williston Craft Show, @WCS 9am-4pm

11/06 - Flora & Ulysses, WCS Fall Play - Opening Night

11/07 - Flora & Ulysses, WCS Fall Play

11/08 - Flora & Ulysses, WCS Fall Play Matinee

11/10 - 11/14 - Fall Book Fair with Phoenix Books @WCS

11/13 - WFAP Monthly Meeting, @WCS 8:30-10:30am

11/24 - 11/28 - Thanksgiving Break, NO SCHOOL

*Dorothy Alling Library will be closed on Monday, October 13th. If this is your student's usual after school plan, please be sure to make other arrangements.

by Angela Filion, Allen Brook School Building Principal

At Allen Brook School, we’re taking a proactive, developmentally appropriate approach to help our youngest learners understand what bullying is—and what it isn’t. In collaboration with the CVSD Engagement Team and school staff, we’re launching new lessons, conversations, and activities (still a work in progress) that help children “take care of themselves, others, and this place.” Zak Desisle, our planning room director, and I will be going to every classroom to share these concepts with students so that everyone is getting the same education and messaging commonly across the grade bands.

These lessons focus on empathy, inclusion, and standing up safely for one another. We will talk about the difference between everyday conflict, accidents, and bullying—which happens when someone uses unkind words or actions on purpose, more than once, to hurt someone else.

Families can help by keeping the conversation going at home by asking children how they can show kindness, speak up safely, and get help from a trusted adult.

Our efforts also align with Vermont’s Harassment, Hazing, and Bullying (HHB) Policy, which outlines how schools respond to reports, ensure safety, and protect the rights of all students. If you ever have concerns, please reach out to your child’s teacher, counselor, or a school administrator. Together we can build a strong and healthy community by talking and modeling to our children how to show kindness and care in our world!

visit the CVSD food service page on our website for additional information and resources

The Health Offices at ABS and WCS were notified that families would like more information regarding how head lice is managed in schools and we want to update families on our procedures.

Our schools’ head lice management is based on the most recent evidence based practices. The guidelines come from Center for Disease Control CDC, American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), National School Nurse Association (NASN) and Vermont Department of Health(VDH).

NASN released a position statement that the management of head lice infestations in school settings should not disrupt the educational process, including but not limited to the elimination of classroom screening, forced absences from school for nits and/or live lice and broad notification that a case of head lice has been found (National Association of School Nurses. (2020). Head lice management in schools (Position Statement).)

Both the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the CDC agree and advocate for the following practices to be discontinued:

• -whole classroom screening,

• -exclusion for nits or live lice,

• -notification to others except for parents/guardians of students with head lice infestations

Based on the above guidelines, we have the following procedures in place when a case of head lice is identified:

• Any student with live lice (or nits within one quarter inch of the scalp) may remain in school until the end of the school day. Immediate treatment at home is advised.

• Student may return to class, but restricted from activities involving close head-to-head contact or sharing personal items with other children. Immediate removal of the child is unnecessary—if the child has lice, they probably have been infested for weeks and prompt removal of the child could lead to embarrassment and ridicule. The child can be sent home at the end of the day and should be allowed to ride the bus.

• School nurse will notify the parent/guardian directly and offer education, support and resources on lice treatment. The school nurse can offer assistance in head lice check after the treatment is completed if a parent requests one.

• Parents should continue daily lice checks and nit removal for the next two to three weeks and retreat as necessary according to the product label.

• It is recommended that you consult with your pediatrician or pharmacist for the most current and safest product.

It’s time for WCS musicians to order their WCS Performing Arts shirts! All students in Band and/or Chorus will wear this shirt on concert days, to field trips and other organized events.

Who should order a shirt?

• 4th Grade Chorus members (NOT potential 4th Grade Band students)

• 5th-8th grade Band and/or Chorus students that are new to the program.

• Returning 5th-8th grade Band and/or Chorus members that have lost or outgrown their shirt from last year.

How do I order a shirt?

Order your shirt here. Shirts need to be ordered and paid for by Wednesday, October 29, 2025. The cost is $13 and financial support is available.

Williston Central School Athletics are open to all students grades 6th-8th. All practices start at 2:50 and end around 4:20. Students can be picked up at the rear entrance to the school, or take the activity bus.

Visit the athletics website for everything you need to know about playing on a sports team at WCS. WCS Athletics

The WCS Drama program is open to grades 6, 7, and 8 and currently includes a Fall Play and a Spring Musical.

Visit the drama webpage to learn more about upcoming productions and the WCS Drama program.

• First Call - 488-7777: phone support, crisis intervention, assessment and referrals
• In Crisis: 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433) (National Hopeline Network: USA)
• National Suicide Prevention Life line- 1-800-273-TALK (8255), call or chat online
• Crisis Text Line - text HOME to 741741 (24 hours a day, seven days a week)
• Outright Vermont - support for LGBTQ+ community
• Vermont 211 -Vermont database of resources and services
• Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide - Website where you can find information to help yourself or a friend who may be having thoughts of suicide.
• Trevor Lifeline - 1-866- 488-7386 - provides suicide prevention and crisis intervention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) young people. It offers free, 24/7, confidential counseling. TrevorText—text START to 678-678; TrevorChat—instant messaging at TheTrevorProject.org/help. It also runs TrevorSpace, an affirming social networking site for LGBTQ youth at TrevorSpace.